Ground Zero Mosque
In 2009, the Cordoba House (a proposed mosque and Islamic cultural center) was planned for the former Burlington Coat Factory building, two blocks away from “Ground Zero.” Many people objected that it wasn’t appropriate to build such a large Islamic building so close to where the World Trade Center was destroyed by Islamic terrorism on September 11, 2001.
“Cordoba House” would be renamed “Park 51,” but the proposed structure’s popular name was the “Ground Zero mosque.” The name “Ground Zero mosque” was used on December 16, 2009, by the blog creeping sharia. On December 23, 2009, the name “Ground Zero mosque” was used by the new blog No Mosques at Ground Zero.
On August 19, 2010, the Associated Press issued a statement against the use of the term “Ground Zero Moque” for the proposed structure near the former World Trade Center.
Wikipedia: Cordoba House
Cordoba House, renamed Park51 and sometimes referred to as the “Ground Zero mosque”, is a planned $100 million, 13-story, glass and steel Islamic community center, which will include a mosque, a 500-seat auditorium, a swimming pool, a restaurant, and a bookstore. The center also aims to provide space for Friday prayers for 1,000–2,000 Muslims. The proposed Cordoba House would replace an existing 1850s Italianate building that was damaged in the September 11 attacks, located two blocks (about 600 feet, or 180 meters) from Ground Zero in New York City.
Cordoba House’s proposed location triggered an intense national controversy. Polls showed that a majority of Americans (a margin of 54%–20%) opposed the building of Cordoba House on that site, as did most people from New York State (61%–26%) and New York City (52%–31%); in Manhattan, 46% supported the project while 36% were opposed. Those who opposed the proposed mosque cited its proximity to Ground Zero, where members of Al-Qaeda, a militant Islamic fundamentalist terrorist group, killed nearly 3,000 people.
Across the United States, families of 9/11 victims, as well as politicians, Muslims, and organizations, came out both for and against the mosque being built in the vicinity of Ground Zero. Some relatives of 9/11 victims argued that the project’s choice of location was insensitive, while others said that the project would be an opportunity for Muslims to demonstrate peaceful Islamic values. Former U.S. Representative Rick Lazio (NY) questioned the project’s source of funding, as well as the project leader’s views on 9/11 and terrorism, whereas New York City Mayor Bloomberg welcomed Cordoba House as an expression of freedom of religion. Some Muslim American leaders and organizations supported the project as an act of friendship, while some Muslims opposed it as an unnecessary provocation.
History
During the September 11 attacks, the then-five-story building at 45–47 Park Place, between West Broadway and Church Street, was severely damaged. The building is located two blocks (less than 600 feet (180 meters) north of the former World Trade Center.
That morning, the terrorists hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 as part of their attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers. They crashed the plane into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m, triggering the tower’s destruction hours later. The plane penetrated through the tower, and part of the plane’s landing gear and fuselage came out the north side of the tower and crashed through the roof of 45–47 Park Place, and through two of its floors. The plane parts destroyed three floor beams, and severely compromised the building’s internal structure.
At the time, the building was leased to the Burlington Coat Factory. Stephen Pomerantz owned the building, and his wife (Kukiko Mitani) subsequently attempted to sell it for years, at one point asking for $18 million. Until its 2009 purchase, however, the building lay abandoned.
NYTimes.com - Slide Show (December 8, 2010)
A House of Worship Near Ground Zero
A five-story building at 45 Park Place, two blocks north of the World Trade Center site, now houses a Muslim prayer space. Burlington Coat Factory operated a store there until Sept. 11, 2001, but it had been vacant since then, until a group of Muslims bought it in July.
Hudson New York
Mosque At the World Trade Center: Muslim Renewal Or Insult Near Ground Zero
by Youssef M. Ibrahim
December 16, 2009 at 5:00 am
An identified group with unknown sponsors has purchased building steps away from where the WorldTrade Center once stood—to turn it into potentially one of the largest New York City mosques.
At the moment the building, the old Burlington Coat Factory, already serves as a mini-mosque: an iron grill lifts every Friday afternoon for a little known Imam leading prayers a few yards away from where Osama Bin Laden’s airborne Islamist bombers killed nearly 3000 people back in 2001.
creeping sharia
Imam paid $4.85M for Ground Zero mosque – in CASH!
Posted on December 16, 2009 by creeping
Where did imam Faisal, who called America and Christians the first terrorists and whose wife is on an advisory team for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, come up with $4.85 million in cash? And where will he get the $150 million to build an Islamic mecca planned two blocks from Ground Zero?
Gateway Pundit
Mysterious Group Buys Building Next to Ground Zero For Mosque
Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 11:58 AM
A mysterous Muslim group with unknown sponsors has purchased a building steps away from Ground Zero.
RedState
You know what would be great ?…… A huge new mosque in NYC right next to The WTC.
Posted by Kenny Solomon (Profile)
Wednesday, December 16th at 6:44PM EST
Caution America
Unbelievable but true: Mosque’s prayer room at Ground Zero
By AK, on December 16th, 2009
Plans for Mosque at Ground Zero?
WorldNetDaily
NEWS OUTRAGE!
Islamic mosque built at 9/11 Ground Zero
Muslim business leader: ‘This has hand of the divine written over it’
Posted: December 17, 2009
8:10 pm Eastern
By Chelsea Schilling
A new Islamic mosque will open its doors just steps from Ground Zero where Muslim terrorists murdered 2,751 people in the name of Allah on Sept. 11, 2001 – and its leading imam, who conducts sensitivity training sessions for the FBI, has reportedly blamed Christians for starting mass attacks on civilians.
Logistics Monster
Only In America: Mosque At Ground Zero
Written on December 17, 2009 by LogisticsMonster
Ocean Kayaker
Friday, December 18, 2009
A Mosque at Ground Zero? Where’s the Outrage?
The Bottom Line
Monday, December 21, 2009
A mosque at Ground Zero
Atlas Shrugs
Monday, December 21, 2009
Mosque at Ground Zero: Adding Insult to Agony
No Mosques at Ground Zero
Show us the money, Mr Mayor….Or win the Dhimmi Lifetime Achievement Award
December 23, 2009, 1:58 am
(...)
Imam of the Ground Zero Mosque, who is welcomed by our State Department has said, “At the end of the day…. an Islamic state or a Christian or Jewish state, in terms of principles, would not really look that different.
The Daily Caller
Ground Zero Mosque — Cordoba House Plans to Create Mosque Near World Trade Center Site
By WSJ | Published: 10:27 AM 05/06/2010
Pajamas Media
The Ground Zero Mosque Developer: Muslim Brotherhood Roots, Radical Dreams
Everything there is to know about Faisal Abdul Rauf, the wolf in sheep’s clothing behind the planned lower Manhattan mega-mosque.
May 14, 2010 - by Alyssa A. Lappen
Randy’s Right
More Insult to Injury..New York’s Ground Zero Mosque Being Biult is Scheduled For Dedication Date on 9/11
May 15, 2010 by randyedye
Associated Press
08/19/2010
AP Advisory
AP Standards Center issues staff advisory on covering New York City mosque
Associated Press Deputy Managing Editor for Standards and Production Tom Kent sent the following note to the staff about covering the New York City mosque story and then discussed the guidance and reaction in a Facebook entry headlined “Behind the News: Describing the proposed NYC mosque.”
Aug. 19, 2010
Colleagues,
Here is some guidance on covering the NYC mosque story, with assists from Chad Roedemeier in the NYC bureau and Terry Hunt in Washington:
1. We should continue to avoid the phrase “ground zero mosque” or “mosque at ground zero” on all platforms. (We’ve very rarely used this wording, except in slugs, though we sometimes see other news sources using the term.) The site of the proposed Islamic center and mosque is not at ground zero, but two blocks away in a busy commercial area. We should continue to say it’s “near” ground zero, or two blocks away.
WE WILL CHANGE OUR SLUG ON THIS STORY LATER TODAY from “BC-Ground Zero Mosque” to “BC-NYC Mosque.”
In short headlines, some ways to refer to the project include:
_ mosque 2 blocks from WTC site
_ Muslim (or Islamic) center near WTC site
_ mosque near ground zero
_ mosque near WTC site
We can refer to the project as a mosque, or as a proposed Islamic center that includes a mosque.
It may be useful in some stories to note that Muslim prayer services have been held since 2009 in the building that the new project will replace. The proposal is to create a new, larger Islamic community center that would include a mosque, a swimming pool, gym, auditorium and other facilities.
Free Republic
The Mosque IS At Ground Zero!
Big Peace ^ | August 24, 2010 | Mort Todd
Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 12:11:30 AM by ELS
Despite what the Associated Press and the politically correct say, I agree with Iman Feisal Abdul Rauf in calling the Cordoba House (oh, excuse me, Park51) the Ground Zero Mosque. It is insane to consider the former site of the Burlington Coat Factory anything but Ground Zero.
The term Ground Zero does not just denote the footprints of the late World Trade Center; scores of blocks were covered by human ash, making a large area of Manhattan a virtual graveyard. But since pictures (and video) speak more than words, here are some 9/11/01 images of the neighborhood that we are not allowed to call Ground Zero anymore.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigpeace.com ...